


A Flash In The Pan

by TheMonsterGhost



Series: Stay With Me [3]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, M/M, Non-Graphic Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-24 11:41:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10740996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMonsterGhost/pseuds/TheMonsterGhost
Summary: A look into Taako and Sazed's relationship. How it started. How it fell apart. Some things are better left behind.Takes place before the events of The Adventure Zone but there are spoilers for The Eleventh Hour arc.





	1. Build Me Up

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of my Stay With Me series but you do not need to read the previous stories for any context in this one. Purely based off of Taako's experience with the chalice in The Eleventh Hour. Enjoy!

The sun is setting and the cart’s wheels crunch soft dirt as it trucks along. They move steadily to the west, towards the ball of fire sinking beneath the horizon. From up on this hill, they can see it all. It’s beautiful. And for a moment, it’s good enough.

Taako sighs softly. It’s good enough to forget the years of distrust in others and the persistent void in his chest. That sensation that there is no one on the planet, or in any plane, he can ever be safe with. As if there might have been, at one time, but they’re gone. And he knows for certain that no one else will ever compare. A funny thing to feel, to be certain. But he can’t help bringing a hand to his chest and noticing the swell in his heart and the shiver down his spine.

Something is missing. But here, on this hill, watching the sun setting, it feels like everything will be okay.

He turns and smiles. The gesture is returned by the half-tiefling driving the wagon.

“Stop for a moment,” Taako requests. And he is obliged.

The horses come to a halt. Taako lays a small, slender hand over a much larger one, still clinging to the reigns. “Gotta stop and smell the roses sometimes, right?” says Taako, gaze drifting from the driver to the horizon.

Sazed nods stiffly, eyes locked on Taako. Rather than the way the sun lights the curve of the earth, he focuses on the way it lights the curve of Taako’s lips. How it reflects and shines in his well-kempt hair. How it brightens his cheeks and shimmers in his eyes…

“Keep staring like that and you might burn a hole through me,” Taako teases. Normally, when he’s caught red handed like that, Sazed bolts. He becomes flustered and overwhelmed and looks away, saying nothing. It’s cute.

But Taako feels compelled to face him again when he does no such thing. Their eyes meet and Sazed is so… close. The elf’s heart skips a beat and whatever remark he had ready on his tongue dies before it leaves his slightly parted lips.

A large hand tentatively cups his face. The fear in Sazed’s face is almost, _almost_ , enough to make Taako’s heart melt. He knows he comes off as cold and aloof, emotionally. Namely because he _is_ cold and aloof, emotionally. But to see someone become so vulnerable and afraid of him because of it… What an honest expression. Taako’s hand is covering Sazed’s before he realizes it.

And to soothe him further, he presses their foreheads together.

Just as the sun dips below sight, Sazed asks, fighting the frog in his throat, “Taako… Can I… kiss you?”

He nearly barks at him about ruining the fun by asking. “What’s the point if you’re going to ask first?” he wants to say. 

Instead, Taako whispers, “Yes.”

And with astonishing softness, Sazed tilts his head and closes the gap between them. There is a refreshing assurance behind the kiss. Now that he’s gotten what he asked for, Sazed is taking it for all it’s worth. Taako can appreciate that.

Although sweet, it’s far from chaste. The pinks and purples in the sky have all but gone by the time they part, lips wet and puffy.

Where has his entire wit run off to? Taako is speechless as he gazes at the larger man, arms draped casually over his broad shoulders.

Thankfully, Sazed is always full of ideas that he can’t wait to express. They’re usually hit or miss but his suggestion that they make camp early sounds like a winner to Taako. He nods, pulling his arms back to himself.

Sazed promptly hops off the wagon and then helps Taako from his perch. They set up camp nearby in record time, what with Taako being abnormally helpful. Sazed mentions it with a laugh, “I didn’t know you were even _capable_ of building a fire pit!” 

Taako shoots him a look, stands upright and gives his fingers a significant snap. A fire bursts into life, causing Sazed to leap back and fall on his rear. The wizard gives a snide grin. “I got by perfectly fine without you, remember? I only keep you around for all the heavy lifting.”

Instantly, Taako realizes the timing and wording of his ‘joke’ are inapt. All of the confidence and joy that had been in Sazed’s face drains away. His lips purse into a tight line and a hand drags through his short, dark hair as he sighs through his nose.

“Don’t…” Taako groans, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Sazed… it was just a joke. Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it.”

“Yeah,” says Sazed, “I know.”

He shouldn’t feel guilty. But he does. And he hates it.

As Sazed stands up and brushes himself off, Taako closes the distance between them. The tiefling barely has time to notice Taako is standing in front of him before he’s being pulled into another kiss. This one is forceful, lips crushing together and fingers entangling into hair.

The night would have been perfect if Taako hadn’t gotten all emotional and shit. He wants to lie on his back and watch Sazed’s face as they make love for the first time. His heart is swelling, he is so, so warm, and then…

That smile.

Sazed takes Taako’s chin between his index finger and thumb, just moments away from their respective climaxes. He smiles and he says, “I like this.”

It’s the _way_ he says it.

 _I like this_.

The intention feels sinister. Taako has to remind himself that he’s been taken advantage of hundreds of time in the past, that those traumas are just trying to make him paranoid, that he is imagining things. Sazed is always speaking his mind! And of course he would like this. It’s sex with Taako; what could be better?

But the memory of those words trouble him for nights on end. He tries to avoid positions where they’re facing each other but he swears he can feel that grin when his back is turned…

 

“Another great show!” says Sazed.

Taako flicks his braid over his shoulder and pats the flour from his palms. “Bag it and tag it, homeboy, this one’s done.”

“That was a pretty big crowd, huh?” asks Sazed, catching Taako’s apron as he tosses it behind him.

“Mmm, yeah, but that’s business, baby,” shrugs Taako, “If the crowds were getting smaller, we’d have a problem.”

“Right but… Don’t you think a big crowd has it’s own sort of problems?”

Taako turns with an inquisitive look, placing a hand on his hip. He tilts his head and for the love of all arcane arts, he cannot figure what Sazed means. “How so?” he asks.

“Just that…” The tiefling swallows, smiling bashfully. He squeezes Taako’s apron and holds it close to his side. “I mean. It’s more people to feed. More ingredients to prepare. And just general uh… Crowd control.”

“It’s not a rock concert, babe, we don’t exactly need crowd control,” Taako scoffs.

Sazed exclaims, “Well! Sure! But the rest, right?”

Taako shrugs, “I mean… I guess? It’s not exactly a problem I’m concerned about right now. The more folks that show up, the better. Simple as that.”

He’s sure there’s some kind of suggestion that Sazed is trying to get to but he’s fresh from the show and not in the mood. He sighs loudly to dismiss whatever words had been forming in Sazed’s mind. 

“I could really go for a drink,” says Taako, brushing out his braid so he can make a better one. “Let’s hit the town.”

Sazed shifts uncomfortably and Taako is almost certain he’s going to find a way to bring up whatever bullshit he wanted to talk about… But he saves it with a resigned sigh and a nod. “Yeah. Yeah, alright. We got a drive ahead of us but there’s more than enough time.”

“Right! So let’s save this boring chat for the road when we come to it.”

They spend the majority of the night in a local and lively pub. Sazed watches Taako get drunk from a table he’s ‘saving’ in the corner of the bar. Despite being three pints in, himself, he watches with hawk-like eyes as Taako flirts and dazzles his way around. He accepts drink after drink, assuring the crowd around him that he’s not as big of a lightweight as people tend to assume. It’s the magic in his veins, he tells them. And someone invariably buys him another one in response.

Then, Sazed is standing behind him with a hand on his narrow waist. Taako, flush with alcohol and a good time, lays a hand on Sazed’s chest. “I love this place,” he says, giving a crooked smile, “Let’s come here all the time. These guys are great.”

Sazed smiles and pulls Taako closer, eyeing anyone who looked like they thought they’d have a chance. “You’ve had a lot to drink,” he says gently.

Taako pouts, resting his weight on Sazed’s sturdy frame. The tiefling shudders, getting a thrill off of the sense that Taako is relying on him, even if it’s just for a steady pair of legs. He squeezes the elf’s hip.

“Yeah, lots to drink… and no thanks to you,” Taako whines. He prods the man’s chest with a perfectly maintained nail. “What do you think you’re doing, hiding in the corner all night?”

“You seem to enjoy entertaining everyone on your own,” Sazed responds flatly. Taako can’t understand why the tone of his voice makes him so uncomfortable.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t want you around.”

At that, Sazed smiles. Relieved to see the upturned curve of those lips, Taako rests his head on Sazed’s shoulder and walks his fingers up his arm.

“You gonna sweep me off my feet and carry me home, big guy?”

Sazed chuckles, “That depends. Do you mean the caravan?”

“Home sweet home. Caravan sweet caravan,” Taako says, letting his legs go out from beneath him in order to force Sazed to catch him. Dutifully, he is caught and lifted into the air. Taako blows kisses to the pub as he’s carried bridal-style out the door after their tab is closed.

Sazed refuses to do anything frisky, despite Taako’s best efforts.

“You’re drunk,” he insists.

“We fuck all the time,” Taako complains, “Why’s it any different now? We’re like… a thing, pretty much.”

Sazed cocks a brow. “…Are we?”

“Labels,” Taako groans, dragging his hands down Sazed’s front. Gently, the tiefling takes those pawing fingers and places them back on Taako’s lap.

“Get some rest. Drink water,” Sazed says. And Taako wants to argue that the only reason Sazed won’t fuck him is because he won’t feel like he earned it. He wouldn’t feel like he conquered anything. He wouldn’t be able to make that fucking bone-chilling grin behind his back…

“…Please?” asks Taako, laying a hand on Sazed’s knee and giving him the most sultry gaze he can muster.

His heart skips when he sees the struggle behind Sazed’s eyes.

“Whether we’re a thing or not… It’s not right,” Sazed says slowly, ensuring each word sinks into Taako’s dizzy head. The elf’s ears sag and he wilts. Sazed laughs, cupping his face and kissing his forehead. “You’ll thank me tomorrow when you don’t have a hangover. Now drink this. All of it.”

Taako takes the water and pouts the entire time he’s drinking it. But he’s happy. No one has ever cared so much. Taako wonders if he even knows how to care that much. Who would have ever taught him how…?

When he wakes up in the early afternoon, he’s refreshed. And when he steps into the bright outdoors, brunch is awaiting him. He spends the entire meal criticizing the preparation but Sazed hangs onto every word. 

 

A few days later, they’re closing in on the next town. That’s when Sazed turns to Taako and says, “It’s going to be a big crowd.”

“Probably.”

“So, I was thinking… If you need any extra help…”

Taako giggles, giving Sazed’s arm a playful shove. “C’mon, sweetheart, as if you don’t do enough around here already. Trust me, Taako is doing great. Just need you to focus on keeping this old thing,” he gives the caravan a pat, “up and running.”

Sazed bites his lip but he doesn’t let it go. He says, “Actually, Taako, I feel like I’ve learned a lot from you and like you can really trust me at this point… so I was thinking… we could do the show together sometime? I could put all that cooking knowledge to use and help make sure there’s enough food for everyone…”

“Sazed.”

The tiefling shudders upon hearing his name. Spoken so tenderly. “Y-yeah?”

Taako’s hands are folded neatly in his lap, eyes staring straight ahead. The town’s clock tower peeks over a canopy of lush, green trees. They’re close, now.

Taako says, “I can handle it. I started Sizzle It Up with Taako by myself and you’ve helped more than enough to bring it to these crowds that are getting bigger and bigger… It’s great, my man. It’s a hell of a ride, let me tell you, and uh… I look forward to seeing how far we’re gonna take this thing! But that’s just it, you know? Why fix what isn’t broken? It is what it is. It’s Sizzle It Up with Taako!”

Sazed seems crestfallen. But he nods in compliance. “Yeah,” he sighs, “Yeah, you’re right, I guess. Sorry… I just…”

“No need to apologize!” says Taako, mostly because he doesn’t want to deal with an emotional response. “Trust me, you’re helping me a-plenty. If I need anything else… I’ll come to you first. Same as always.”

“Same as always,” Sazed confirms.

Taako nods enthusiastically, “Mmhmm. Now, I don’t want to discourage you from improving on your cooking. Far from it! Let’s just save it for when it’s just the two of us, okay?”

He knows he’s tugging on a few strings with that line. Manipulating emotions. When Sazed beams at him, there’s a chill in Taako’s stomach. He insists it’s true and there’s no reason to feel guilty… But he knows, deep down, he’s deflecting. He’s just saying it to shut Sazed up. Keeping a cool façade, he rests his fingers on his chin at taps at his upper lip. What should he cook today…?

 

When Taako finishes for the day, he’s surprised to find that Sazed isn’t where he expected. The man is usually standing by, selling merchandise. Taako’s attention moves to the caravan. He peeks inside to see Sazed humming and mimicking Taako’s showmanship. He holds an empty pan in one hand and imaginary spices in the other. The spices are tossed into the pan and he makes a sound with his mouth like fire sparking to life. “Simple as that,” he sings.

He jolts in alarm when Taako giggles from the entrance. He stammers and tries to hide the pan behind his back. “I d-didn’t r-realize the sh- the show um…! The show was…!”

He’s red from his nose to his ears. And when his words fail him, he drops the pan and runs, squeezing past Taako and nearly diving behind the merch table. Typical of him to run. Adorable, even. Taako moves to pick up the pan as Sazed recovers from his immense embarrassment.

Sazed proceeds to avoid Taako for the rest of the day. It’s funny at first but Taako bores of the childishness quickly. He sits by a fire of his own creation, lazily prodding the wood to keep it lively. Occasionally, he glances at the wagon in hopes that Sazed will join him. Eventually, he begins to debate heading into town for a drink. Or is it too late for that?

Taako glances at the caravan once more, certain he hears a rustling noise. He hopes to see Sazed. There’s no one.

With a sigh, he waves his hand to put out the fire. He doesn’t need it to see into the dark but the season is changing from summer to fall and the air gets chilly at night.

It becomes even colder when there is a distinct rustling directly behind him.

Taako barely has time to scream before his mouth is being covered and his limbs are pinned down. Two brawny men hold him down whilst one, a taller, thinner figure, keeps his mouth covered. With his free hand, he brings a finger to his lips. Taako can see a knife resting in his palm.

“You keep quiet and we might just let you go,” he whispers. No one Taako knows. Just a gang of thieves, combing the outskirts of town for unsuspecting, possibly drunk, victims. Dammit. One of them murmurs Taako’s name and the tall man says, “Oh! So it is. I’ll bet you got a lot of dough in that wagon, huh, Mr Bigshot? And I ain’t talkin’ about the kind that—“

“Spare me the puns, my man,” Taako interjects, jerking his head away from the hand that was covering his mouth. “Take what you need and then fuck off.”

They chuckle amongst themselves. “I like you,” says the taller man, standing upright. “Keep him pinned. I don’t trust those magic-types.”

Taako glares at the men holding him. They probably think they’re being slick, covering their heads in thick hoods. Don’t they know anything about elves? He can see every detail of their faces. Humans. They’ve been doing this a long time, judging by the confidence in their expressions and the scars on their skin.

A scream pierces the air. All three look up to see that the taller thief has disappeared. The brawny thug holding down Taako’s legs stands up and draws his dagger. Quietly, he approaches the wagon. Taako’s heart begins to race as the sound of a violent scuffle erupts from the other side of the caravan.

“Got a friend, do ya?” asks the last thief holding him. Taako is too concerned to answer him. He stares at the wagon, eyes wide.

The fighting dies down quickly. When no one appears from around the corner, the thug gives an annoyed grunt.

“Vandal?” he says. There is no response. “…Kieran?”

Taako almost makes a snide remark but his ears flick at the sound of Sazed’s voice, giving a pained grunt. “Sazed!?”

Sazed turns the corner with Kieran’s dagger in hand, dripping with blood. Everything is bloody. The dagger, his clothes, his hands, his face. Taako has never seen him look so terrifying. He’s also never been more concerned for another person’s well-being in his entire life.

The man holding Taako down stands up with an enraged snarl. He demands to know what happened to his compatriots. 

Sazed holds up the knife and challenges him, “Come find out.”

They clash and Taako is too dumbstruck to move. He stares, shuddering and drawing up blanks when he tries to remember his spells. His casting book is in the wagon. He’s paralyzed, watching as fountains of blood spurt between the brawling men like lightning, their roaring and screaming like thunder.

The third thief slumps over, gasping and grabbing at his stomach. Taako can only see him from the back but the metallic scent of blood is thick in the air. There is something heinous in Sazed’s eyes as he moves closer to the man, circling him like a hunting predator. He begs for his life as best he can, raising a bloody and trembling hand.

The dagger comes down on his throat and Sazed locks eyes with him. It feels like an eternity passes before he rips the knife back out. Taako covers his mouth and looks away.

The following silence is deafening, which makes the gentle sobs sound loud in comparison. Taako lifts his head and sees Sazed hunched over the dagger, now on the ground, hands cover his mouth and eyes wide in horror. Tears stream down his face, carving streaks through the blood.

Upon closer inspection, Taako can see he made it through with only the most minor of scrapes. And the first word to come to mind is, “Beast.” But the second, and more resounding, word that follows is, “Hero.”

The elf stands, shaking out his nerves and taking a deep breath. He settles next to Sazed, laying a hand on his shoulder.

“…I killed them,” he gasps through broken sobs, “They…”

“They were trying to kill you first, man. You did what you had to do. And you… You saved me.”

Sazed looks to Taako, flabbergasted. “How can you be so calm!?” he shouts, making Taako flinch, “I just killed three men!”

Taako squeezes Sazed’s shoulder and says, “It’s not like it was in cold-blood. I’ll admit, you went full on rage-mode out here but like… It’s us or them, you know?”

Sazed’s mouth opens and closes, his eyes darting back and forth. And slowly, he comes to accept that it had to be done. He nods and wraps his arms around himself, gaze falling back to the dagger.

Kicking it away, Taako pulls the larger man into a hug. “Hey,” he says, “Let’s get outta here. Get cleaned up and grab a drink. Sound good?”

Sazed snakes his arms around Taako’s waist, burying his face in his neck and shoulder. There are still tremors in his body, Taako can tell. So he rubs Sazed’s back, breathing deeply. “Look at it this way,” he says, “Those guys were just a bunch of thugs. We weren’t going to be the last wagon they knocked over. You just saved a helluva lot of people down the road from getting their throats slit in the middle of the night.”

The tiefling huffs a laugh, nodding into Taako’s shoulder. “Yeah… you’re right,” he murmurs, “It’s… it’s better this way.”

“Right! You done good, my man.”

Sazed sees that he’s gotten Taako covered in blood. He sits back and apologizes profusely. “Nothing a little magic can’t fix,” says Taako, “But I think a good bath is in order, numero uno.”

They make their way into town, stopping into the nearest inn. The sheriff is, fittingly, at the bar. As Taako speaks with the owner about arranging for a room and a bath, Sazed explains the situation to the law. “Well, shit, son,” says the sheriff, “We been tryna hunt those boys down for months, now. We were hopin’ to catch em alive so’s to find where they been hidin’ out but I’m just glad you fellas are alive to tell me about it.”

Sazed smiles as Taako elbows him encouragingly.

“Maddie,” says the sheriff to the owner, “These boys have their room on my tab tonight. You make sure they’re comfortable, ya hear?”

The owner gives a nod of approval and claps the two on their shoulders. “C’mon, fellas, I’ll make sure your horses and things are put up neat. Gonna have a couple baths ready for you real soon.”

All of the praise and reward for cutting down three men has Sazed’s spirit uplifted faster than Taako could have imagined. It’s almost unnerving how the tiefling won’t stop talking about every gruesome detail once they’re in their room.

“I’m uh… glad you’re feeling better,” says Taako.

“I feel great!” Sazed exclaims, “I had no idea I could… I mean… I knew I was hired on as muscle and all but… I really got to prove myself out there!”

“Mmhmm. Don’t get too excited, darling,” Taako responds playfully.

“But Taako… I _saved_ you. When that first guy showed up, I was terrified. I didn’t know what to do. But I thought about _you_ and I _knew_ that letting my fear get the best of me wasn’t an option.”

It’s almost heartwarming. Taako’s smile softens. Sazed sits closer and takes his hands into his own, smoothing his wide thumbs over slight wrists. “I’d do anything for you, Taako.”

“…I know.”

There is a polite knock at the door and then a woman’s voice, “Your baths are ready.”

“Thank you, dear,” says Taako. He smiles at Sazed and stands, pulling him along. “C’mon, big guy, let’s get you cleaned up.”

Instead of using the baths separately, they use one bath to clean away the dirt and flour and blood. Then they sink into the other, still hot, just to relax. Taako kisses at Sazed’s neck, leaving a subtle mark.

“I wish you’d let me…” Sazed murmurs.

Taako wags a finger at him. “Can’t let the audience see,” he chides.

“You could cover it up,” replies Sazed, tenderly lifting Taako’s jaw. And for once, the elf agrees.

“Mm, fair,” he coos, fingers tangling in Sazed’s wet hair. He tilts his head and pulls him closer.

“Are you sure?”

“Go for it.”

Sazed grins. As he kisses Taako’s neck, his nibbling turns to biting, licking to sucking. Taako clings to his hair and shoulders, gasping and moaning unabashedly. The mark left behind is bright and nasty and sore.

“You’re beautiful like this,” Sazed mutters.

“This water is getting cold,” says Taako. Sazed takes the hint and carries Taako to bed.

It’s rough and bruising. Taako has enough foresight to have known to soundproof the room before getting started, which is fortunate since his voice gives out halfway through. Sazed pulls his hair, marks his body, and bruises his hips. His stamina is unmatched, passion insatiable. A thought briefly passes through Taako’s mind that Sazed should kill thieves more often. 

The thought is reversed in the morning.

“Oh my god,” Sazed gasps as Taako sits up, “I’m so sorry…”

Taako grins and bears it, pulling his hair back. “Don’t apologize for a good time, babe. I don’t remember the last time I had a lay that good.”

Sazed scrunches his brows, taking the comment as a slight sting against their past experiences. Taako laughs in response before he’s tackled (carefully) to the bed. They kiss all morning.

The tiefling leaves the room just before noon, returning with two cups of coffee. He seems excited but Taako doesn’t have any time to ask before he’s rushing back out the door. The elf sips his latte until Sazed returns. He nearly spits the drink right back out.

He holds up two satchels, filled with gold. “They had a bounty!” Sazed exclaims.

“…Great!” chirps Taako.

“Holy shit… I should do this more often,” Sazed remarks.

Taako chuckles. “We’re not bounty hunters, honey. C’mere.”

Sazed tucks the satchels into his large travel bag and then sits in bed. Taako brushes his fingers across his jaw and kisses his neck. “Let’s forget about it, okay?”

The tiefling nods. “Right. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” Another kiss. And another.


	2. Break Me Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into Taako and Sazed's relationship. How it started. How it fell apart. Some things are better left behind.  
> Takes place before the events of The Adventure Zone but there are spoilers for The Eleventh Hour arc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part of my Stay With Me series but you do not need to read the previous stories for any context in this one. Purely based off of Taako's experience with the chalice in The Eleventh Hour. Enjoy!

The shows keep coming. Taako starts to reflect on that one saying… How does it go? Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life…? Yeah, that’s it.

“Hey Taako?”

The elf cringes.

It’s spring, again. Almost summer. He doesn’t know exactly when it happened but the relationship has become strained. Perhaps due to lack of personal space… Or the overbearing protectiveness… Or the more-than-necessary roughness of the sex… God, it’s all falling apart, isn’t it?

And to top it all off, Sazed keeps asking about--

“Do you have a second?”

Taako turns on his heel, a fake smile on his lips. “Mmhmm?”

“So…” Sazed cracks that smile and Taako knows it’s coming. “Looks like there’s a lot more than we expected.”

“Yeah, maybe about ten extra tweens looking for an after school snack. It’s not a big deal, Sazed.”

The tiefling’s smile drops. He huffs and says, “I don’t know why you don’t let me help you.”

Taako makes a frustrated groan, clapping the heel of his palm to his forehead. “You help more than enough, Sazed. For the hundredth time!”

“I know but—“

Taako raises two index fingers and then parts them, silencing the conversation. “No buts, my man. We’ve talked about this. What are you trying to prove, anyway? What about this arrangement is like…? Not making sense to you? Because if I missed something, you just gotta tell me.”

“No, it’s… I just.” Sazed huffs, balling his fists at his sides and staring at his feet. He opens his mouth but Taako’s grown impatient and cuts him off.

“We spend almost every waking moment together, Sazed. We don’t need to do the show together, too.”

“If you want space—“

“I want you to do what I _hired_ you to do, bubule.”

Sazed bristles at that. He sighs heavily and begins to walk back to the stage.

Taako clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes, crossing his arms. If it helps things sink in, being blunt and upfront, then so be it.

After the show, Taako catches Sazed being short with someone at the merch table. He eavesdrops long enough to pick up on the situation. Someone getting grabby with the shirts, trying to tuck one into her bag unnoticed. She’s apologizing but Sazed--

“Let go of me!”

Taako approaches as Sazed tugs on the young woman’s wrist.

“Someone should teach you a—“

“That’s enough,” Taako snaps coldly. Sazed’s eyes go wide and his hands retract to himself at the speed of sound.

“Taako! I! She--!”

Taako takes a shirt from the table and hands it to her, resting a hand on her shoulder. She seems terrified. The elf gives her a showy smile and says, “It’s always nice to meet a fan. Would you like me to sign it?”

Tears pool in the corners of her eyes. “I can’t afford—“

He produces a feathered pen and asks, “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“…Jackie.”

He sends her off with an armful of shirts, taking careful note that the clothes on her body are tattered and old-looking. Poor thing.

He turns to give Sazed another cold stare but he’s already gone. Bolted as usual.

When Taako has finished clearing the show himself, he enters the caravan. Sazed is pouting from his seat.

“What the hell was that?” asks Taako.

“She was stealing. You hired me to stop thieves, didn’t you?”

“Oh, please,” Taako groans, “Don’t give me that shit. Since when do you go strong-arming homeless girls?”

“How do you know she was homeless? She could have been—“

“I was homeless, Sazed.”

And Sazed shuts up. Because he knows this. And he turns to Taako, looking pitiful and sorry. But it doesn’t work this time. The elf turns his gaze away. Before Sazed can apologize, which he is on the brink of doing, Taako says, “We’re through.”

Sazed stumbles over his words. “Wh--? What?”

“I need a break,” Taako sighs. He begins removing his apron, which he only just realized he was still wearing.

“No,” Sazed says, knocking his chair over in his haste to stand, “No, no, Taako, I’m sorry, I—“

Taako raises a palm, shaking his head.

“Let’s keep it professional for a while, alright?”

“Taako, I know you’ve been left behind and burned before but you don’t have to worry about that from me. I’ll never—“ Taako barks a dry laugh, leaving a chill in Sazed’s stomach and a rock in his throat.

“I’m not pushing you away because of some emotional childhood trauma BS, Sazed!” He laughs again, amused now. He says, “There’s no chemistry anymore. It was fun but we’re just done.”

He thought he’d have more to say on the matter but… That’s it. He gives a stiff nod and turns to leave. Sazed tries to stop him but his voice cracks. Taako hears him fall to his knees as he hops out of the caravan and makes his way towards town.

After some thorough searching, he finds the young woman digging half-heartedly through an unattended crate of old apples on the outskirts of the town plaza. He accidentally gives her a fright upon clearing his throat and requests that she follow him.

He brings her to a tavern and pays for her to stay the night for a few days. Before sending her to her room with a hot meal, he lays a hand on her shoulder and says to the barkeep, “Oh, you know, one more thing? I couldn’t help but notice your business is uh… pretty booming!”

“Sure nuff,” says the barkeep, his steady stare grazing across the lively bar. He catches Taako’s drift, sharp as a whip. “Could use a hand keepin’ the place clean. Tables get tore up somethin’ awful and I’m too busy back here to wipe them down till close.”

Taako glances at Jackie as he kindly shoves her shoulder towards the bar. Stuttering, she requests a job. The barkeep says he’ll put in a good word to the manager. She’s holding back tears as she carries a plate of hot food to her room a few minutes later, thanking Taako a thousand times.

“Sure was nice of you,” the barkeep mentions, handing the elf a drink on the house. Taako shrugs.

“Maybe I just did it for the free drink,” he says.

“You paid for five nights.”

Taako grins into his cider.

 

The screaming is unbearable. They pack what they can and then they’re tearing down the street away from town like a beast out of hell. Taako is shaking, curled up tight and repeating his ingredients and incantations over and over, manically looking for the culprit. What could it have been?! 

There was so much blood. Forty people… Forty samples appeared in their laps. Forty smiling faces taking simultaneous bites. And forty voices, coughing and crying and gasping. Knees hitting the earth, hands whipping out to catch onto something, anything. Blood… so much blood…

Poison. What was poisoned? The chicken was fresh… And general food poisoning, in any case, wouldn’t be so violent. Was it the garlic? The elder—

“What happened?” asks Sazed, their wagon still ripping through the trees. He cracks the reigns to keep the horses running. Taako shakes his head, rubbing the tears from his eyes.

“I… I don’t…”

“What did you do?”

Taako looks to him. He is staring straight ahead. The elf can tell he’s trying to remain expressionless but he’s never looked so nervous. Sweat clings to his brow and his neck. His pulse is visible in his stressed veins.

He doesn’t know what to say. He would have noticed if something was wrong… Why didn’t he notice something was wrong?

“Poisoned,” he manages to say, “I think I… poisoned them… All of them…”

“Did you eat any of it?” asks Sazed.

“No…” He chokes back another sob. “I should have… I don’t know why I didn’t taste it, first… Why…” He covers his eyes and hates how distant Sazed feels, despite sitting right next to him. But then again, he has every right. Those people didn’t deserve to die…

“You know…” Sazed clears his throat. And his visage rearranges to something more resolute. He takes a deep breath and says, “If you had a helping hand during the performance, you wouldn’t have to worry about sampling everything. I would have—“

“Are you fucking serious?!” Taako snaps, “Are you still on this shit? Sizzle It Up is fucking _finished_ , Sazed! We’re finished!” As he says it, it dawns on him. Again, he covers his mouth, whispering, “Oh my god.”

Sazed says nothing. They ride through the day and well into the night. Taako is numb the entire way, reviewing every action in vivid detail. But the more he thinks about it, the blurrier it gets. He starts speculating and suddenly the ingredients aren’t as clear in his mind.

 

Two days pass. Taako hasn't allowed himself to meditate or drift into anything resembling sleep. When Sazed is tired, he wordlessly hands the reigns to the wagon over and crawls into the back of the wagon. Over and over and over again, Taako sees the first drop of blood coughed up from the first victim's lips. Eyes wide in confusion and fear and pain... Those two days are a waking nightmare and a living hell. It's a nonstop cycle of memories, more vivid and bloodier with each repeat. He's silent as he tries desperately to understand what went wrong.

The reigns are relieved from him as Sazed takes a seat at the front, leaving a cold distance between them.

“Coming up on a settlement,” says Sazed, eyeing a familiar sign on the side of the road. “We passed it on the way to Glamour Springs.”

Taako pinches his eyes shut. That name will haunt him for the rest of his life, he’s sure.

“Deadly nightshade,” he murmurs.

“What?”

“I think… the garnish…”

“The elderberry?”

Taako nods. Sazed doesn’t respond.

They reach the settlement as night begins to fall. It’s small and quiet, most everyone already asleep in their cottages.

They don’t bother building a camp when, at long last, they decide to stop. The elf is bleary and exhausted so blankets in the caravan are enough. Taako insists for Sazed to stay with him rather than sleeping under the stars alone.

“I thought you were mad at me,” he says bitterly.

“I just killed forty innocent people, Sazed. Not exactly in the most reasonable mindset I’ve ever been in.”

Sazed relents. He climbs into the bed of blankets, going rigid when Taako curls up close.

“What are we going to do?” he murmurs against Sazed’s chest.

“We?”

Taako flinches, clinging tight to his shirt. The tiefling drapes an arm over Taako’s shoulders. The silence is awkward.

“…You should go to sleep,” says Sazed.

Tears prick at Taako’s eyes. He knows what’s coming but he’s powerless to stop it. He closes his eyes.

When he opens them hours later, he is alone. The elf bolts out of his makeshift bed and stumbles from the wagon in time to see Sazed guiding one of the horses towards the road.

“Sazed!”

Caught red-handed. His shoulders jump and he spins around, eyes wide.

“Don’t… Please don’t,” Taako pleads. He feels sick.

Sazed purses his lips. Taako takes a step closer. “We can figure this out. Come on, I’m fucking begging you, here.”

With a look of disgust growing on his face, Sazed looks away. “Not a good look on you,” he says, voice colder than Taako can ever recall.

“You said you’d never leave,” Taako retorts, taking a firm step. “You’ve always wanted me to ‘need you’ and now that I actually need you, you’re just gonna—“

“Goodbye, Taako.”

He hops onto the horse and the panic threatens to snap Taako in half.

The instincts kick in. He’s been through this before. Not quite like this… But close enough. He’s experienced enough rejection and abandonment to know how to respond.

He turns his back and crosses his arms. “Fine,” he says, “Made it without you before… I can do it again just as easy.”

Sazed takes off into the night. Taako walks numbly back to the empty caravan.

He packs what he needs. With a bit of magic, the words Sizzle It Up with Taako disappear from the wagon. It’s somewhat nostalgic, taking what he can carry and heading blindly forward.

Taako barely makes it a mile from the settlement before he breaks.

Sazed didn’t even apologize. He just took off… He always takes off. Except he isn’t coming back this time. He isn’t going to be pouting in the corner after an argument. He isn’t going to be washing the flour from his hair or carrying him from bed to breakfast. He isn’t going to be doing his duties as best and as quickly as possible in hopes that it’ll impress Taako. He isn’t going to leave marks on his neck or whisper sweet nothings in his ear…

Why didn’t he taste the food…? It would have been better to throw up blood than to hurt like this. It would have been better for a hole to be burned through his stomach than his heart.

He really should pull himself together. It’s not a good look; Sazed was right about that much.

 

Taako tells himself he’s over it. It’s to be expected. He deserved to be left behind. Who would want to associate with a murderer? Regardless, he stays in every tavern and bar for as long as he can, eyes darting around the room in hopes that Sazed will appear. Like his face will shine through the crowd and he’ll come running back, apologizing profusely. And Taako will tell him to keep his apologies to himself. Things will go back to how they were…

“Taako? Is that you?”

The elf lifts his head. Jackie beams at him. “It is you! I’m so happy to see you. Did you have a show today? I’m sorry I missed it. I was—“

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m retired,” Taako says.

“Really! That’s too bad!” She plucks a pad of paper from her apron and asks if he’s hungry.

“Mm, not particularly, dear, but… How are you?”

She seats herself next to him and begins to explain how much her life has changed. All for the better, she assures him. “The manager here is actually a younger man. It belonged to his parents and they handed it down to his uncle when they passed.” She nods to the barkeep. “But he doesn’t care for business stuff so he handed it off to their first, and only born. He’s um…”

She smiles sweetly and Taako issues a small, “Aw.”

“He’s really sweet. But he’s um. Shy. I keep hoping he’ll notice how hard I work so that he’ll talk to me but he’s never really around.”

“Let Taako give you some advice, Jackie. Don’t wait around for opportunity to present itself. You gotta take what you can get, when you can get it. You tried to take a shirt once and look where it got you!”

She bursts into laughter. “Yeah!” she says, “You’re right! Man… it’s so good to see you. Are you staying long?”

“Mm, nope. Afraid not. I’m on the run, you see.”

“Ahh,” says Jackie, “Well. You’ll have to stop by again, sometime.” Her hand falls over his as the barkeep calls her name. “Gotta get back to work,” she says, “But thank you. Again. For everything.”

“Yeah, don’t mention it,” replies Taako. He watches her gather up her skirt and head back to the bar, lifting a tray full of drinks.

For the first time in weeks, he thinks that change might be good. That things will be okay.

Even if he has to do it alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! The inspiration for this series comes from listening to the cover of Stay With Me by Angus & Julia Stone so I highly recommend giving it a listen. It's nice.
> 
> I draw a lot of The Adventure Zone fanart on my Tumblr [@themonsterghost](http://themonsterghost.tumblr.com) and you can also hmu on Twitter [@themonsterghost](http://twitter.com/themonsterghost). I've got a TAZ doodle giveaway there until May 1st, 2017. The post is pinned to the top of my Twitter profile; check it out! Peace!


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